1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of sporting equipment. More specifically, the invention relates to portable support structures for basketball goals which have adjustable goal backing height.
2. Background Art
Basketball goal structures known in the art include various height adjusting mechanisms, and various devices to make the basketball goal portable. Representative prior art basketball goals are described below.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,554,243 issued to Davis et al. Discloses a rollable sports ballast base for supporting a sports apparatus support member. The ballast base includes a base member having a top and bottom surface. The bottom surface contacts a ground support surface such as a driveway or other playing surface. There is at least one wheel assembly, retractable from a lowered position to a raised position. The wheel assembly includes a pivoting connector coupled to the base member and a wheel bracket coupled to the pivoting connector. The wheel bracket includes an axle, at least one wheel, and a handle extending outwardly from the wheel bracket. The handle is used to pivotally rotate the wheel assembly about a transverse axis. When the handle is rotated away from the base member, the wheel assembly is placed in a lowered position whereby the wheel contacts the support surface, thus separating the bottom surface of the base member from the support surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,488,599 issued to Nye relates to quick-release locking mechanisms for adjustable basketball goal systems, and methods for using the same to adjust the height of a basketball goal above a playing surface. An adjustable basketball goal system may include basketball goal connected to a rigid support via a deformable goal support structure. A second arm may be coupled to the rigid support. A first arm may be coupled to the deformable goal support structure and may slidably engage the second arm. Locking plates may selectively bind the second arm with respect to the first arm to selectively lock relative motion of the arms. Locking relative motion is performed to maintain the basketball goal at a desired height. In an alternative embodiment, an engagement grip maybe attached to the first arm, and may contain multiple locking members configured to pivot to simultaneously engage openings formed in the second arm to prevent movement of a first arm relative to the second arm. In another alternative embodiment, an engagement grip may have only a single locking member configured to slide into one of a plurality of openings disposed along the length of the second arm.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,432,003 issued to van Nimwegen discloses a portable basketball goal system having an adjustable wheel assembly. The portable basketball goal system may comprise a rigid pole, a support base, an adjustable wheel assembly, and an engaging member. The support base is configured to maintain the rigid pole in a generally elevated position. The adjustable wheel assembly is connected to the support base and has an engaged and disengaged position. In the engaged position, the wheel assembly supportably engages a playing surface. In the disengaged position the wheel assembly does not supportably engage the playing surface. The adjustable wheel assembly may be slidably coupled to the support base. The adjustable wheel assembly may be operated by an engaging member coupled to a cam surface. The cam surface may interact with a follower to move the adjustable wheel assembly between the engages and disengaged positions.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,938 issued to Mower relates to a push button height adjustment mechanism for a basketball goal assembly. The mechanism is for adjusting the height of a basketball goal above a playing surface. The basketball goal assembly includes a deformable goal support structure interposed between a rigid support member and a basketball goal. A first end of an extension arm pivotally connects to an extension that protrudes from the back side of the goal support structure. A second end of the extension arm is pivotally connected to the support member. An adjustment mechanism disposed in relation to the extension arm allows the length of the extension arm to be adjusted. The adjustment of the length of the extension arm selectively deforms the goal support structure, thereby adjusting the height of the basketball goal in relation to the playing surface. A counterbalance member is operably disposed in relation to the goal support structure to facilitate counterbalancing between the weight of the basketball goal and a tensile force applied to the extension arm. The adjustment mechanism may comprise a spring-biased push button mechanism. With the use of the spring-biased push button mechanism, a user is capable of adjusting the height of the basketball goal in relation to the playing surface using only a single hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,879,247 issued to Winter et al. discloses an adjustable basketball goal system for adjusting the height of a basketball goal above a playing surface. The basketball goal includes a deformable parallelogram structure attached at one end to a rigid support. A basketball goal is attached to the other end of the parallelogram structure. An adjustment lever is pivotally mounted to the rigid support below the parallelogram structure. An extension arm is positioned between the parallelogram structure and the adjustment lever such that movement of the adjustment lever deforms the parallelogram structure which repositions the basketball goal to a different height above the playing surface. A lockable piston assembly is attached to the rigid support and to the adjustment lever. The piston assembly includes a switch which locks the piston assembly preventing the parallelogram structure from deforming. An actuation trigger pivotally connected to the adjustment lever can be engaged to move the switch to an unlocked position thereby allowing the height of the basketball goal to be adjusted. The piston assembly also serves to counterbalance the weight of the basketball goal such that the height of the basketball goal can be adjusted with minimal force.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,919,102 issued to Smith et al. discloses a mobile or permanently fixed basketball goal system. In the system disclosed in the Smith et al. '102 patent, the backboard and hoop can be adjusted to a desired height by a user. The goal system has a vertical support member having a base end, a backboard end and an intermediate portion, and a backboard including a hoop. Crossmembers pivotally connect the backboard to the vertical support member on one side of the backboard end, to form an adjustable parallelogram. At least one of the crossmembers extends beyond the vertical support member to an extension end. A clamp is mounted on a brace for the vertical support member or directly on the vertical support member. The clamp is fixedly adjustable within a continuous range and connects with the counterbalanced extension end via an extension member. When the clamp is moved, it acts to rotate the extending crossmember to raise or lower the backboard and hoop.